BILL NUMBER: AB 234 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 6, 2009
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 23, 2009
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 14, 2009
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Huffman
FEBRUARY 5, 2009
An act to add Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 25460) to
Division 15 of the Public Resources Code, relating to energy.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 234, as amended, Huffman. Energy: water use and energy
efficiency projects: federal stimulus funds.
Existing law establishes various programs to provide financial
assistance to public and private entities to improve their energy
efficiency.
This bill would require the State Energy Resources Conservation
and Development Commission, as a part of the implementation of
funding received under the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment
Act of 2009 pursuant the federal State Energy Program and the
federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program, to
coordinate with the Department of Water Resources and the
State Water Resources Control Board and local water
suppliers on the planning and implementation of energy efficiency
actions that can also result in water use savings to
identify opportunities to fund energy efficiency actions that also
may result in reduced water use. The bill would impose requirements
for the commission's guidelines for disbursement of the federal
stimulus funds . The bill would require that water and energy
conservation efficiency programs and
projects proceed only to the extent they do not impair the commission'
s ability to meet the federal deadlines for expenditure of federal
stimulus funds provided by the act pursuant to the 2 specified
federal programs.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 5.6 (commencing with Section 25460) is added to
Division 15 of the Public Resources Code, to read:
CHAPTER 5.6. WATER USE AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY ASSISTANCE
25460. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) The commission is expected to receive hundreds of millions of
dollars from the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009 (Public Law 111-5) for energy related activities including
energy efficiency programs and projects.
(b) Water use requires significant amounts of energy.
Approximately one-fifth of the electricity and one-third of the
nonpower plant natural gas consumed in the state are associated with
water delivery, treatment, and use.
(c) Greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced if we move, treat, and
use water more efficiently.
(d) The Public Utilities Commission and the commission have
researched the energy saving potential associated with water use
efficiency programs and with water management changes. Those
studies can inform the administration and the Legislature on how
state agencies can partner and cost share, and how local water
suppliers' funding can be leveraged to maximize water and energy
efficiency. efficiency programs.
25460.5. For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms
have the following meaning:
(a) "Board" means the State Water Resources Control Board.
(b) "Federal act" means
(a) "Federal stimulus funds" means
moneys received by the state under the federal American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5) ,
pursuant to the federal State Energy Program and the federal
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program .
(c) "Water supplier" means a local
(b) "Local water supplier" means a
local retail or wholesale public agency or private company
supplying or storing water, or a mutual water company.
25461. (a) As part of the implementation of the funding received
by the commission under the federal act pursuant to the federal State
Energy Program and the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Block Grant Program, the commission shall coordinate with the board
and local water suppliers on the planning and implementation of
energy efficiency actions that can also result in water use savings.
Coordination may include, but is not limited to, sharing information
on areas to target, prioritizing actions, and coordinating
implementation and cost sharing.
(b) As a part of the guidelines otherwise developed by the
commission for administering energy and water efficiency actions
funded under the federal act pursuant to the federal State Energy
Program and the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block
Grant Program, the commission, in consultation with the board, shall
establish criteria and priorities for partnering on programs and
projects that have both water and energy efficiency benefits.
(c) Water use efficiency programs and projects that provide
sufficient energy savings to justify being funded under the federal
act pursuant to the federal State Energy Program and the federal
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program from moneys
allocated to the commission shall be eligible to receive that
funding.
(d) Water use efficiency programs and projects may also be funded
under the federal act pursuant to the federal State Energy Program
and the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant
Program from moneys allocated to the board, and moneys from local
water agencies.
25461. (a) The Legislature, by enacting this
chapter, intends to establish guidance for implementation of federal
stimulus funds, in order to maximize the benefits and encourage the
integration of water and energy efficiency programs.
(b) As part of the administration of the federal stimulus funds
received by the commission, the commission shall coordinate with the
Department of Water Resources and the State Water Resources Control
Board to identify opportunities to fund energy efficiency actions
that also may result in reduced water use. Coordination may include,
but is not limited to, sharing information on areas to target,
prioritizing actions, and advising on implementation.
(c) To the extent authorized by federal law, the commission's
guidelines for disbursement of the federal stimulus funds shall do
all of the following:
(1) Include both of the following as eligible projects:
(A) Water use efficiency and water recycling projects that also
provide energy savings. These projects may include, but shall not be
limited to, appliance and toilet retrofit and installation of
recycled water pipes for commercial, institutional, or industrial
water sectors.
(B) Job training programs, including, but not limited to, water
and energy efficiency training for plumbers.
(2) Include in the calculation of energy savings for water use
efficiency and recycling projects, the energy savings associated with
the reduced treatment, reduced distribution and pumping, and reduced
urban or agricultural use of water.
(3) Provide opportunities for water and energy efficiency projects
to be cost-shared with local water suppliers.
(4) Include local water suppliers as eligible applicants.
(e)
(d) Water and energy conservation
efficiency programs and projects shall proceed only to the
extent they do not impair the commission's ability to meet the
federal deadlines for expenditure of federal stimulus
funds from the federal act pursuant to the federal State
Energy Program and the federal Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Block Grant Program. funds.
(f)
(e) This section applies only to federal
stimulus funds received under the federal act
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5),
pursuant to the federal State Energy Program and the federal
Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant Program.
25462. This chapter does not imply that spending energy
efficiency funds on water efficiency programs should be done with
nonstimulus, ratepayer funds.